A Search for Self
by Arconn
Summary: Alexander Taylor was looking forward to starting a new adventure, when he received a mysterious letter from an old friend. After putting everything on hold, he receives news that blows his mind, and leads him on a new adventure...with a whole new meaning.
1. Chapter 1

Alexander Taylor pulled Dar Losh to a halt at the top of a grassy hill, just as the White Tower came into view. He leaned forward and absentmindedly rubbed the strong horse's neck as he gazed at the stunningly beautiful tower.

Dar Losh whinnied softly, as if he were thinking the same thing. Alex grinned down at him. "It is beautiful, isn't it, boy? It's been so long since I've been here last…" He trailed off, remembering the last time he had been here, in his first company of adventurers. The best company he could have ever asked for and one of his finest adventures to recall.

He had been travelling alone through the hills of Vargland for the past week, ever since he had received the strange letter from Iownan, the Oracle of the White Tower and Alex's friend. He frowned, still wondering what exactly it was Iownan wished to speak with him about. Her letter had been very vague, and while that was not strange for an oracle, he still wondered why she had not given him the slightest idea.

He had just returned to his home in Alusia from meeting Silvan Bregnest, the leader of Alex's first two adventures and one of his oldest friends, to discuss the possibility of him joining a new adventure Bregnest was putting together. As exciting as the adventure sounded, and as happy as he would have been to accept it, he had put all plans on hold when he had read Iownan's strange letter.

He had recognized the oracle's handwriting as soon as the geeb had delivered it to him, and had found it odd that she would write to him after all this time.

_Master Alexander Taylor, Esq.:_

_It is with my most humble apologies for any inconvenience that I must ask you to journey to my tower as soon as you are able. The matter is urgent; not only that, but I believe you would wish to hear it. Come on horseback; it will be less troubling to you._

_ Your friend,_

_ Iownan_

His eyebrows crinkling as he read the letter, Alex tried to make sense of it. After several minutes, he gave up; he decided that the only thing to do would be to do as the oracle asked and travel to the White Tower.

He sent a quick letter to Bregnest, apologizing and explaining his absence, and then grabbed his magic bag and immediately saddled Dar Losh, who had flipped his mane and snorted in pleasure at the thought of a long journey.

Now, he took a deep breath and started his horse trotting down toward the Tower. He broke out in a smile. No matter what happened with Bregnest – whether he joined his adventure or not – he had a special feeling about this visit with Iownan.

Who knew, maybe this would result in an adventure itself!


	2. Chapter 2

As Alex approached the Tower, a dark haired man wearing a silver vest rode out confidently atop a white horse. "Well met, Master Taylor," he called out as Alex once more slowed his horse.

"Well met," Alex replied, surprised that the servant of the Tower recognized him. It had been well over two years, after all. "The Lady of the Tower sent me a letter, bidding me to come quickly."

The servant bent his head in recognition. "Indeed, she is expecting you. She will speak to you as soon as you are willing." He began to turn his steed back toward the tower. Alex eagerly followed him, glad that there would be little wait. He did not want to be stuck waiting in the refreshment houses he had once shared with his friends, and he was eager to see what Iownan had to say.

As they came near the four houses, looking exactly as he remembered, the man gestured to the closest one. "You may stable your horse in there."

The man dismounted and tied his own horse as Alex hurriedly penned Dar Losh, murmuring into the horse's ear as filled two troughs with water and grains. "Enjoy this fine stable," He whispered, a touch of a smile on his face. "We may not be here long." The horse nodded his head fiercely, giving a shrill whinny that sounded almost like a laugh. Chuckling a bit himself, Alex left the stable and met the servant, who led him past the waiting area and directly into the tower.

As the servant pointed down the set of stairs to the oracle's door, Alex thanked him, and he left. Taking a deep breath, he walked carefully down, raised a hand to knock, and was startled by the oracle's crystal clear voice saying, "Come in."

As he stepped in, he was overwhelmed by how familiar the room looked, as if he had been there only the day before. Iownan smiled at him, as kindly as she had the first time he had spoken to her, back when he had little knowledge of the ways of magic. Before he even knew what he was – a wizard.

Iownan gestured for him to sit down, and then, as if she had been thinking of his first visit as well, she said, "I see your path has taken you where you wished to go?"

He laughed, shaking his head at how he had once denied that he could have held the power of a wizard. "I suppose you could say that."

She laughed as well, then quickly composed herself. "Now, onto the business I called you here on. I said it was urgent, and I apologize if you assumed that meant something was wrong. I assure you; everything is as right as it could be. I only meant that I needed to speak with you before you left on your new adventure."

Alex opened his mouth to say something, but she waved away his comment. "Yes, the one with your friend Bregnest. You will still be able to join if you wish; my delay will not prevent you from doing so." She gave him s small smile. "I know it's been quite a while since you have been on a true adventure. The adventure you followed your friend Skeld to in Nezza was grand, but it was not a true adventure. I think you know what I mean."

He nodded solemnly. He had been happy to aid Skeld and his friends, and he had made friends with the other adventurers, but he did not share the bond with them that a true member of the company would have. He did not share the signed contract or the shared stories or the mutual respect that the real members of the company had. Worse, the members had started to look to him as a leader over their own, which both troubled and stressed Alex.

Iownan cleared her throat, dragging his mind back to the present. "But I think you will find a bit more than your goal on this adventure," she told him cryptically, her expression suddenly serious. "On your third adventure, you met a wise dragon, did you not? Do you remember what that dragon told you?"

Alex wrinkled his eyebrows in thought. "The dragon told me many things," he said slowly.

The oracle laughed. "Indeed, he would have. But I believe the words I'm thinking of have something to do with family."

His eyes widening, Alex nodded. "Yes, he said in order to know myself, I must find my family. I said I had no family…"

Her eyes crinkling, Iownan finished the sentence for him: "But everyone has family! Aunts, uncles, distant cousins twice removed…" He let out a laugh at that. When he stopped, the oracle was suddenly serious again. "Go on this adventure, Master Taylor. You will find someone…and in her you will find a part of yourself."

Alex was confused, unsure of what he was supposed to do. He had not even really considered the possibility that he had family in the known lands…or the chance that he would actually find them. "How will I know who she is?" He asked in desperation.

Iownan frowned. "She will come to you n your time of greatest need; maybe before that as well. That is all I can say." He nodded in acceptance, though he wished she could be more specific. She leapt to her feet, ushering him out. "Go now, you must hurry back to your friend Bregnest!" She leaned forward, pressing a small object into his hands. "Look at this once you are on the road once more; it will help you with your quest."

She led him up and out of the tower, rushing him past the bemused servant. When they reached the stables, she stopped. "When you get to him, tell Bregnest only that I have given you your own challenge to fight on this adventure. Now go!"

And with that, she turned and strode back to the tower. Alex rushed to get Dar Losh from the stable. No time to think of how the company had hesitated to leave on his last journey here – he had a new adventure to join.


	3. Chapter 3

Alex had been on the road for several days when the Great Arch came into view. He stared up at it, a small smile on his face, as he swung off Dar Losh. "We'll camp here for the night, boy," Alex told the horse, who snorted and rubbed against him. Alex sighed and began penning a letter to Bregnest, letting him know that he was near Telous and would be there in a day or two. He had been pleased when his friend had told him that he would reserve a spot for him, and he was looking forward to a new adventure.

After Alex had started a fire and begun cooking himself a small meal, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the small object Iownan had given him. It was wrapped in a green silk pouch, and he still had not opened it. Taking a deep breath, he opened the top and poured the contents into his hand.

A large, silver and gold ring landed in his palm. The silver and gold bands were made to look like branches, and they would wrap all around almost the entire finger. Set into the back, on the space that would fall on the knuckle, was a beautiful, blue green jewel that Alex didn't recognize. It took his breath away.

A small note fluttered out of the pouch as well, and he opened it carefully. Once more, he recognized the oracle's handwriting.

_Where this ring if you wish – it will mark you as her friend when you meet her. You may recognize its make._

Alex put the note back in the bag and slipped the ring onto his finger. Surprisingly, the large ring didn't hinder his movement at all. The metal seemed as soft as silk, and it bent with his finger, allowing him to use is fingers as naturally as he would without it.

Slipping it off his finger, he examined it closely. After a moment, he smiled.

"Elfin," he whispered to himself, causing Dar Losh to prick his ears up. The ring seemed to be of an elfin make, and just like his own sword, elf runes seemed to be inscribed along the band and jewel, but he couldn't make out what they said.

"An elf," Alex laughed. "Could it be?"

He knew he was a mixed race, but he had not thought he would have any real relatives, at least not among the elves. "Relatives don't have be close to be related," he reminded himself as he began eating.

He remained staring into the fire for some time before he began to feel tired. He rolled out his blankets and laid down, leaving the fire burning. A small smile pulled at his lips as he slowly drifted to sleep. He felt a burst of happiness within him at the thought of finding a relative, even a distant one.

He was still smiling as he drifted to sleep.

Alex flailed wildly against a beast that he could feel but not see. Darkness surrounded him, and his head spun in confusion. He had no memory of where he was, and he could not see even the outline of his surroundings.

Alex groaned as something slashed against him, and he thrashed out with an empty hand. He reached for his magic, desperate for some sort of help, even just a light, but nothing came.

The first icicle of fear spiked his heart.

Something hissed in his ear, but he could not understand the language. A cold wind blew into him, bringing with it the howl of a large animal.

And then he heard something that filled him with more fear than ever before.

He heard the screams, the desperate cries. Voices he recognized. The first scream – a female voice he recognized, but couldn't place the name. A second – male. A third – and this time, he knew in his gut what the source was – Arconn. And the last, the loudest and most desperate – Bregnest.

His eyes widening with horror, Alex threw himself toward the sound, trying desperately to get to the sound. But he could not see, and he tripped and fell to his knees. Something ripped at him, and he screamed.

And then it was all gone.

He knelt in the middle of a familiar meadow, surrounded by burned trees and bones. Tears streamed down his face as he recognized his surroundings.

He heard a soft noise, and glanced up. A young woman stood at the edge of the meadow, facing away from him. Her hair fluttered behind her, though Alex could feel no breeze. Though he did not recognize her, he felt a sudden calm in her presence.

Slowly, she turned toward him, and he felt a sharp burning in his hand. But before he could see her face, she seemed to slowly dissolve into a cloud of butterflies, dark, with little color to see.

The swarm of dark butterflies flew toward Alex, and he raised his hands to fend them off.

And then he sat up, with a gasp.

His eyes burst open, and he found himself staring at the ashen remains of his fire. The sun was already up, and it was early morning. Dar Losh snorted at him from the edge of the camp.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It was a dream," he exclaimed, pushing himself up. "It was only a dream!"

He laughed hollowly, but he worried at the same time. Was the dream meant to be a warning? What could he expect from this adventure?

He shook his head, gathering his blankets and returning them to his bag. It would do no use worrying about it now.

He saddled Dar Losh and quickly rode to the Great Arch. As he passed through it, Telous came into view. He grinned and pushed Dar Losh to a gallop down the path.

It was midafternoon when he entered Telous and brought Dar Losh to the stable outside the Golden Swan, the best tavern in Telous, where he knew he would meet with the company once he joined the adventure. As he walked out, he heard a familiar voice calling him.

"Alex!" Arconn called as he walked quickly over to him. Alex laughed in delight as his friend pulled him into a hug. The tall elf smiled at him. "It seems we will be traveling together again, my friend," Arconn said. "And our friend Bregnest."

"It would appear so," Alex replied, slapping Arconn on the back. He winced a little with worry as he recalled the sound of his scream in his dream, but he tried to shake it off. He smiled and chatted with Arconn as they walked all the way to Clutter's Adventure Shop, where he would meet with Bregnest.

Clutter opened the door for them and welcomed them into the shop, nodding to Arconn and shaking Alex's hand. "I've been expecting you," Clutter said with a laugh, though he seemed a bit more serious and, well, focused than he usually was.

Arconn sat down as Clutter led Alex toward the meeting rooms. He leaned forward and spoke, his voice hushed, "Your new adventure seems very interesting," Clutter told him, though he seemed nervous. "I must say it is not one I would go on myself, but I believe you can probably handle it." He nodded several times quickly. "Yes, I am sure you can handle it."

Alex felt a twinge of worry at that. Why was Clutter, the man who been so ready to send him to fight a dragon when he was fifteen, so suddenly worried for him with this adventure.

Clutter pointed to one of the rooms. "Bregnest's waiting for you in there."

Alex thanked him, and stepped toward the room. Taking a deep breath and shaking off some memories of the dream, he stepped into the room.


	4. Chapter 4

Bregnest smiled as Alex walked into the room. "It is good to see you, my friend," he said as he pulled Alex into a hug.

"Same to you," Alex laughed.

Bregnest looked at him, suddenly serious. "Did the oracle tell you anything important?"

Alex bit his lip, hesitating. Bregnest saw this and shook his head slightly. A worried expression coming onto his face, he spoke: "You do not need to tell me, of course. It is not my place to demand it."

Alex waved him off, but his face remained tight. "I understand, my friend. I know you would not demand it of me." He paused again, as his mind kept drifting away from the oracle's message to the less pleasant dream. "The oracle gave me my own challenge for this adventure," Alex spoke slowly. "She gave me my own goal for this adventure."

Bregnest looked at Alex seriously, and leaned over, resting his hand on his shoulder. "And is this task troubling you?"

Alex shook his head forcefully, trying to smile. Thoughts of the dream kept forcing their way into his head. "No – this is something else." He looked away from Bregnest. "Perhaps I will tell you about it later."

Bregnest nodded understandingly, and then settled into business. "This adventure will be a bit different from the others we have traveled together in. It will be a bit more dangerous." Bregnest looked at Alex solemnly. "Please know that you do not need to come on this adventure – if you turn me down, I'll understand."

Alex raised his eyebrows. "What could be more dangerous than fighting a dragon?"

Bregnest shook his head, offering a small smile in return for the remark. "Not much, I'll give you that," he spoke quietly, no humor in his voice. His eyebrows crinkled slightly in worry. "Do you remember what I spoke to you of in Alusia?"

Alex nodded. "You told me that this adventure, though taking place primarily in Alusia, would affect the known lands as a whole. You also said that there is a possibility of this adventure taking us to lands we have never explored."

Bregnest frowned. "Indeed. The success of this adventure will rely as much on outside help as it does on us. We will try to keep this help to a minimum, but we will need it none the less." Bregnest inclined his head slightly, keeping his eyes on Alex. "Having a wizard on this adventure would help us greatly, but again, do not feel forced to do this."

Alex frowned. His mind flashed once more back to his dream, but he shook his head to get it out. "So, tell me, my friend, what exactly is it that we're looking for on this adventure?"

Bregnest sighed, as though he was relieved Alex was still interested in the adventure. "We are searching for the treasure of the Venestreg, an ancient race of witches and warlocks." He clasped his hands together, frowning as he considered his wording. "More specifically, we are searching for their armor."

Alex rubbed his forehead in confusion. In his head, he heard Arconn's scream, but he ignored it as best he could. "Why their armor?"

Bregnest leaned toward him and explained. "The Venestreg were some of the greatest armor and weapon makers out there, even better than the dwarves, some say."

Alex thought of his sword. "What about the dark elves?"

Bregnest laughed quietly, though he didn't smile. "No one can outmatch the dark elves. The Venestreg and the dark elves were alive at the same time, and though they did not get along, there was little competition between them. They were known for different things," he clarified. "The dark elves were known for their powerful swords and other weapons. While the Venestreg did make exceptionally powerful swords, theirs were more likely to be demon blades."

Alex shuddered slightly, remembering the effects the demon blade he had encountered on his last adventure had had on its master. "What about their armor, the armor you're looking for?"

"That is what the Venestreg were known for," Bregnest answered. "Their armor was better than any in the known lands. Their leather armor was made, supposedly, from demon hide. Their metal armor was forged with demon or dragon fire, and magically enhanced to last longer and resist magic." Bregnest leaned forward, his eyes intense. "But their greatest armor, the armor we're after, is the _Dracartura_, or their dragon armor."

Alex's eyes widened. He knew what a dragon's scales were like; they were an armor nearly impossible to break through. "If the Dracartura is anything like an actual dragon's armor, I can see why you would wish to go after it."

Bregnest chuckled, smiling again. "And that is where the Venestreg's true talent lies. You see, the Dracartura is not just _similar to_ a real dragon's armor," Bregnest told him. "It _is _a real dragon's armor." He watched Alex as his words sunk in. "Or it was, once. The Dracartura is armor made from the scales of a slain dragon."

Alex was speechless as he imagined the priceless strength of such armor, and the impossibility of making it. "It seems the Venestreg would need little magical enhancement to make such armor worth a large price."

"Indeed, though the Venestreg would enhance it." Bregnest tapped his fingers on the table. "The reason we are after this armor is not just for the wealth, however."

Alex laughed. "Of course it isn't, my friend. When are adventures ever solely for wealth?"

Bregnest smiled in return. "The real reason we are seeking this armor is because, as you say, the honor of adventurers bids us to protect innocents and our lands from evil." He lowered his voice to a rumbling whisper. "There is rumor of a – well, of a _being_, that would wish to have this armor for itself. It would use the power of the armor, indeed, the power of any of the Venestreg's treasure, to destroy the known lands." He raised his eyebrows at Alex. "And that is where the great danger lies."

Alex bit his lip thoughtfully. "So, just to make things clear, are we going after all of the Venestreg's treasures, or just the Dracartura?"

"If there is an opportunity to recover all of it, we will gladly do that. But, if we could recover any one thing, it would be the Dracartura, and the secrets to how to make it."

The corners of Alex's mouth twisted up slightly. "I doubt they'd have left an instruction booklet lying around," he joked, but Bregnest didn't smile. He cleared his throat, and spoke again. "Why only the Dracartura? I'm sorry, but I'm still confused. It seems like it would be more worthwhile to go after everything, or say, the weapons he could really use, instead?"

Bregnest shook his head slightly. "Don't apologize. Again, we will attempt to get everything we can. But to your question, the Dracartura is far more powerful than you would think armor can be. See, the Dracartura not only gives you the protection of a dragon, it also gives you the strength, and even a bit of the power of the dragon."

Alex nodded his understanding. "I can see why you wouldn't want this being to get a hold on them then," he said.

Bregnest nodded. "And of course, that isn't the only reason we would specifically take the Dracartura."

Alex raised his eyebrows. "No?"

Bregnest gave him a worried smile. "At least, with the Dracartura, we'd have a way to protect ourselves if the being does attack."


	5. Chapter 5

Alex leaned back, considering what Bregnest had told him. The sound of Bregnest's scream rang through his ears again, and he shivered slightly. He took a deep breath and looked Bregnest in the eyes. "Tell me about the agreement," he said, somewhat sharply.

Bregnest observed him silently, then nodded. He pulled the folded up contract from his pocket, and when he spoke, his voice was crisp, guarded. "There are ten of us going on this adventure. A bit of a larger company, yes, but larger numbers were a necessity. Some, you already know. You may have seen our old friend Arconn when you arrived today, and Sindar is with us, as well. There is another elf from the dark forest, named Ailariel. She is an elfin sorceress, as you will see, and a fairly powerful one."

Alex raised his eyebrows. "Having an elfin sorceress will be helpful, is we must battle with this powerful being."

Bregnest sighed. "A wizard would be even more so, but I fear, if we encounter this being before we get the Dracartura, a wizard and a sorceress wouldn't make much difference."

Alex felt a twinge of worry as he understood what this implied. "Still, it may help us reach our goal sooner."

Bregnest nodded his agreement, than continued. "I will introduce you to the others tonight at dinner, should you agree to join. Now, the king has offered a reward of 500,000 gold coins to each member of this adventure, and any treasure found on this adventure, is ours to divide."

Alex's eyes widened. "That's quite a generous reward," he murmured.

Bregnest shook his head, but his eyes never left Alex. "Not quite so generous. It is a fair amount for an adventure as dangerous as this." Alex shivered again, as he thought of his dream, which he was becoming more and more certain was a warning. Bregnest noticed this, but made no comment. In a quiet voice, he continued, "This adventure may cost us more than we could gain if the king gave us his entire treasure hoard, Alex. Please, you understand the danger here. As your friend, I beg you, know that you do not have to do this. I will not hold it against you, should you choose to walk away."

Alex swallowed. He understood the danger, and he knew that if he chose to join this adventure, he would be risking his life more than he had ever risked it before. He opened his mouth, then shut it again, hesitating.

He thought of what the oracle had told him. The possibility of meeting a family member had seemed so exciting at the time. It still did. He longed to know something of his family, where he came from. But, if he might kill himself in the process…

_You might not die, you know,_ a voice whispered in the back of his mind. He bit his lip, glancing up at Bregnest.

Bregnest looked at him, patiently, and whispered, "Take your time."

Alex nodded. He went back to his thoughts. _If I go on this adventure, I might die…_ He closed his eyes, concentrating on the battle going on in his mind.

The voice turned colder. _And what if you don't go?_

Suddenly, images rushed to Alex's mind. The image of a being, an _entity_, dark, and powerful…more powerful than anything Alex had encountered, wielding the power of the Venestreg, with the entire hoard of treasure, weapons, knowledge…and the dracartura. The power of the dragon armor making the entity stronger…_invincible_…as it tore the Known Lands apart.

Alex gasped, putting a hand to his head, his eye wild. He vaguely heard Bregnest speaking, asking if he was alright…he barely felt the hand on his shoulder, shaking him, then steadying him…

The voice continued, darkly and forcefully, _What if you don't TRY to fight it? What if you aren't there to bother TRYING to protect them?_

The dream. The dream came back to him, in full force. The language he couldn't understand, the beings he couldn't see. And more clearly than before, much, much more devastatingly clear, he heard them the screams. Bregnest…Arconn…the woman…screaming in pain as he fought desperately to get to them.

_What if you aren't there to protect them?_

And just like that, Alex knew what he had to do. He shook his head, clearing his mind as the voice died out and the vision faded. Blinking, he noticed that he was standing, posed in a low crouch, as if preparing for an attack, his whole body tensed and drenched in sweat. Bregnest was standing, as well, his hands on Alex's shoulders, deep concern etched into his face.

"Are you alright, Alex?" Bregnest asked, his voice tight with worry.

Alex took a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm…I'm alright, my friend." He reached out and patted Bregnest's arm reassuringly. He gestured to the contract. "Now, show me where to sign."

Bregnest, still looking worried, gradually sat back down behind the table. "Alex, are you sure you want to do this? If you don't think it's the right idea…"

Alex was already shaking his head. Looking Bregnest in the eye, he said firmly, "Bregnest, what I just saw ha convinced me that I _must_ go on this quest. I can't explain it now, I'll tell you as best I can later…but you must believe me: I _must _go on this adventure with you."

Bregnest nodded slowly. "Very well. Sign here, old friend." He smiled warmly, though he was still tinged with worry. Alex did so, and Bregnest stood and shook his hand.

With a deep sigh, and a small, tense smile, Bregnest said, "Welcome to the company!"


End file.
